UKinbound has been awarded Green Tourism’s silver accreditation in recognition of its sustainability practices.
A qualified assessor for Green Tourism undertook a green check assessment on the association, analysing its performance as a sustainable tourism operation. Approximately 15 different areas were looked at including communications, health and wellbeing, equality, travel, energy consumption and waste management.
UKinbound scored highly in a number of areas, having introduced a variety of sustainability initiatives and green best practises in the past 12 months. This has included a commitment to utilising sustainable transport, promoting accessibility and inclusion, and implementing a green action plan to drive the business forward.
In May, a survey of its members was undertaken to better understand their sustainability needs and objectives. The survey showed that 2/3 of respondents stated that sustainability was included in their reopening/recovery/long-term business plans.
The survey also showed that businesses are passionate for sustainability content, including news, case studies, resources and advice.
As a result, UKinbound launched a dedicated ‘Sustainable Tourism’ section on its website, accessible to both members and the public, with links to news, resources and the association’s own environmental commitments.
Joss Croft (pictured), CEO, UKinbound, said “We are delighted to have received Green Tourism’s silver accreditation. Looking to the future and the recovery of our industry, we have an opportunity to build back better, which is why we are committed to championing sustainable tourism and ensuring that the UK’s world-class tourism offering can be enjoyed for generations to come.
“Over the last 12 months UKinbound has been working hard, developing new procedures, launching new resources and weaving sustainable practises into everyday activities. Working with Green Tourism has been key to this, and their support and advice has been incredibly valuable. We are committed to supporting our members and helping them in their sustainability journey, but we need to lead by example. Our silver accreditation is just the first step.”
Andrea Nicholas, chief executive, Green Tourism, added: “We are very impressed with UKinbound’s approach to becoming a greener business, they have involved the whole organisation including their events team who are ensuring all of their meetings and events are as green as possible. The development of a Sustainable Tourism Resources section on their website shows they recognise how important this topic is to ensure a Green Recovery for the industry. UKinbound are providing excellent leadership in sustainability and are to be commended for their achievements.”
